1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, etc.
2. Related Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus, an image forming unit, such as a photoconductor unit, an intermediate transfer unit, etc., is included in a structure of an apparatus main body and is attached and detached to and from the structure by opening a pivotable cover to execute maintenance and replacement of the image forming unit or the like.
According to an image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-14813 (JP-2010-14813-A), by opening a pivotable cover openably attached to a structure of an apparatus main body around a rotary shaft, a photoconductor unit is detached from the structure.
JP-2010-14813-A also describes an opening angle rotation restricting device for restricting an opening angle of the pivotable cover to a prescribed angle. Specifically, a damper is provided to limit swinging of the pivotable cover in an opening direction. One end of the damper is supported by a widthwise end of the structure around a shaft, while the other end thereof is supported by a widthwise end of the pivotable cover around another shaft. Thus, when the pivotable cover is opened and the damper is suspended between the structure and the pivotable cover, the pivotable cover does not open restricting the opening angle of the pivotable cover regarding the structure.
However, when the pivotable cover is opened regarding the structure, the damper occupies a space at the widthwise end of the structure between the pivotable cover and the structure by an amount equal to a width of the damper. Therefore, to attach and detach the photoconductor unit to and from the structure while preventing the photoconductor unit from interfering with the damper, the sum of a width of the photoconductor unit and the width of the damper is required as a width of the structure, thereby enlarging the image forming apparatus as a problem.